6 replies to this topic

[CPP83]

Did anyone else catch the premire of this new reality series on OWN?

It's about two white dads, Clint and Bryan, who have ten, black, adopted sons, in one of the most unique blended households I've seen in some time.

I thought, while much of what went on was obviously staged, the kids all seemed to really fit together as a family, since they aren't all related, and the two dads appear to be very loving and caring.

The show gave me a chuckle every now and again so, I'll giving it another chance or two to decide if it's worth keeping up with, at least it's something to watch on a slow Saturday evening.

[Daybreak]

I watched the last 15 minutes of the second episode. I really like this family. They seem to really love each other. My only problem was the 17 year old sharing his birthday with his little brothers. I think they were 5 & 8. The could have added something that was a little more mature than a buncey house & a Pinata. The dads did redeem themselves a bit by giving him a certificate to go paintballing(?) with some friends. I'm going to try and stay up for the second airing. I'll try and remember to set my VCR just in case.

Edited by Daybreak, Aug 18, 2012 @ 11:04 PM.

[KateWu]

The show was nice, I had been seeing the previews and then just happen to catch it.

Birthdays that are for such wide age spans are difficult and I was happy to see the older son got the gift cert to the power go-kart track for him and a friend.

[Sugarwater]

The first couple of episodes were boring, but I'll give it one more chance. Clint "Papa" is quite the emotional one isn't he? The others need to loosen up.

[TedHinD]

The kids seem pretty happy and secure. I hope the two dads feel free to tell their critics to stuff it sideways. The boys are out of foster care and have two loving parents. When the parents get criticized for being gay or white or whatever they should simply ask their critics how many kids they themselves have adopted. That usually shuts pie holes big time. (I remember a black woman who wanted to outlaw interracial adoptions in the 80's. She whined to Donahue that black couples were desperate to adopt black kids but couldn't because the white couples were scooping them all up before they had a chance to. Dimwit).

I think the painting of the house and the inability of stay-at-home dad to bake a cake properly were big time scripted. But hey. No kids or dads were injured in the filming.

[Nijntje]

I remember a black woman who wanted to outlaw interracial adoptions in the 80's. She whined to Donahue that black couples were desperate to adopt black kids but couldn't because the white couples were scooping them all up before they had a chance to. Dimwit

Yeah, I don't think that is the issue. This article talks about how the adoption rate of African-American children by Americans is so low that the children are being adopted by families from Canada.

[CPP83]

I think this show would do better if they weren't scripting so much of it, just film and see what happens. No need to be so desperate to make something happen every couple of minutes.

Oh no, we're going to make Papa freak out by pretending to buy purple paint!! Oh no, Daddy has to take the boys driving, will they come back alive?? Oh no, Papa baked a lopsided cake, twice?!?! Come on OWN, no need for all that.

I think Clint and Bryan seem to balance one another out very well though, when you take out all the other filler. Clint is so very emotional and high strung and laughs a lot, and Bryan seems like the sort of person you trust to sit by the emergency exit on an airplane, calm, thoughtful, quiet, it's a good mix.

I thought they handled the issue of the boys wanting to visit, or see, their biological families well, letting them talk to them a couple times a year, if they so wish, and then having them wait until they are at least sixteen to meet in person so they are more so prepared to deal with the whys, the what happeneds, and why you didn't keep me, want me, etc.

I felt bad for Clint though in that one scene where he and his son were folding towels, it has to sort of make the adoptive parent wonder if they've been good enough, or done enough, for the child when they begin talking about their "real parents", as if they aren't' already living with their "real" family. But since he is thirteen, I think that has a lot to do with his curiosity, and hurt.

I was a little surprised to find out they live right outside of Detroit. I guess it both is and isn't surprising when you think about it, but I do think any critics they may have should jump off a short peer.

These boys are some of the most high risk children in the nation, especially when they've entered the foster care/adoption system, that they could be raised in a loving home, with two loving parents, who can provide their every need, is a blessing ten times over, literally.

I also thought it was good that they mentioned that they were hand picked by all the parents to raise their children, they were not just offered these kids, their biological parents determined this couple had everything they were looking for and wanted for their child, that's pretty significant as well.